Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Ver. 1. _Go to law before the unjust_] All unbelievers are, 1. Void of Christ's righteousness imputed; 2. Of true civil righteousness, as being self-seekers in all. 3. They oppress the saints,... [ Continue Reading ]
Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Ver. 2. _Shall judge the world_] That is, the wicked, called the inhabitants of the earth, and of the sea, Revelation 12:12, in opposition to the burgesses o... [ Continue Reading ]
Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? Ver. 3. _Things that pertain to this, &c._] That serve to and satisfy the body only, being _nec vera, nec vestra,Luke 16:11,12_ .... [ Continue Reading ]
If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. Ver. 4. _If then ye have judgments_] As the Corinthians, being many of them merchants, had many lawsuits. But if men's hearts were not bigger than their suits, there would not be hal... [ Continue Reading ]
I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? Ver. 5. _No, not one that shall be able_] Our late judge Dier, if there came any controversies of poor men to be tried before him, would usually say, that either th... [ Continue Reading ]
But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. Ver. 6. _But brother goeth to law_] Once it was counted ominous to commence actions, and follow suits. Of common barreters, we may say as the historian doth of mathematicians, _Genus hominum quod in nostra repub. et vetabitur s... [ Continue Reading ]
Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather _suffer yourselves to_ be defrauded? Ver. 7. _There is utterly a fault_] Gr. ηττημα, a disgrace, a loss of victory: _q.d._ By your litigious lawing one anot... [ Continue Reading ]
Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that _your_ brethren. Ver. 8. _Nay, you do wrong_] In person and name. _ And defraud_] Of goods and estate. _ And that your brethren_] Which very name should charm and allay all discords, as between Abraham and Lot, Genesis 13:8. Aristotle could say, It is bette... [ Continue Reading ]
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Ver. 9. _Shall not inherit_] It is an undefiled inheritance, 1 Peter 1:4; no dirty dog ever trampled on... [ Continue Reading ]
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. Ver. 10. _Nor thieves, nor covetous_] These two be fitly set together, as near akin; so are drunkards and railers. _ Nor extortioners_] Whose sin is properly immoderate getting, as that of t... [ Continue Reading ]
And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. Ver. 11. _Such were some of you_] Oh, the infinite goodness of God, that would once look upon such walking dunghills, such monstrous miscreants! _... [ Continue Reading ]
All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Ver. 12. _All things are lawful_] viz. All indifferent things, among which the Corinthians reckoned not only meats and drinks, but also fornication (their... [ Continue Reading ]
Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body _is_ not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. Ver. 13. _God shall destroy_] The belly shall be destroyed in the other world, not for the substance of it, but for the use of it... [ Continue Reading ]
And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power. Ver. 14. _And will also raise us up_] He will make our vile bodies to be like unto his glorious body, the standard. Shall we then defile them with the kitchen stuff of uncleanness?... [ Continue Reading ]
Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make _them_ the members of an harlot? God forbid. Ver. 15. _Shall I then take_] Scipio, when a harlot was offered him, said, _Vellem, si non essem imperator, _ I would, if I were not a general. Say... [ Continue Reading ]
What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. Ver. 16. _Is one body_] By a most strict but vicious and infamous bond (saith an interpreter), which is sufficient to untie or break any other bond, though lawful and holy, either corporal or... [ Continue Reading ]
But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Ver. 17. _Is one spirit_] That is, one spiritual body: while Christ lays hold on us by his Spirit, we lay hold on him by faith. Hence the Church is called Christ, 1 Corinthians 12:12, and the fulness of Christ,Ephesians 1:23. We have the honour of... [ Continue Reading ]
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. Ver. 18. _Flee fornication_] φευγετε. With post haste flee it. " _Laeta venire Venus, tristis abire solet._ " Be not of those men that are called _Borboritae_ of thei... [ Continue Reading ]
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost _which is_ in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? Ver. 19. _That your body is the temple_] Shall we make the temple of God the stews of Satan See 1 Corinthians 3:16. Antiochus and Pompey never prospered after that they... [ Continue Reading ]
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. Ver. 20. _Ye are bought_] Shall I drink the blood of these men? saith David. So, shall I abuse my body, the price of Christ's blood, abandon it to venery? &c. _ Glorify God in your body_] The v... [ Continue Reading ]